Blackened Heart
by GrimmSen10
Summary: {ONE-SHOT}.....Hermione reflects on her most terrible memory...the involuntary loss of her innocence. COMPLETE


The wind swept lazily along the countryside, sending a few dying leaves to ground, while many more clung desperately to the almost bare, late-autumn trees. A young witch stood, looking out across the vacant fields. Her long black cloak swirled around her in the breeze and a slight sigh escaped her perfectly pouted lips. She removed the hood of her cloak, allowing thick, auburn curls to fall, cascading over her shoulders. Looking into her deep chocolate eyes would have caused anyone great pain, as she drifted off into a distant heartbreaking memory.  
  
The scene in front of her began to melt away as the event that had haunted her dreams for so long filled her vision . . .  
  
"Damn." She muttered softly, taking in her surroundings. She threw the old boot in her hand to the ground angrily. "Someone's messed with the freaking portkey again. There's going to be hell to pay when I get back," she grumbled, annoyed. It wasn't the first time that someone, namely a set of twins with the surname Weasley, had changed her portkey destination to "lighten her up", as they said. "Where'd you send me this time, you bloody wankers?"  
  
She looked around as she dusted off her cloak and frowned, beginning to mumble obscenities against the Weasley twins. In front of her stood a slick, black building with a magically enhanced neon sign reading:  
  
HOCUS POCUS The hottest club in all of Wizarding London Muggles Welcome!  
  
"Really responsible, boys, really responsible." She shook her head, sighing deeply. As she surveyed the rest of the area, she realized that this Wizard/Muggle dance club was located virtually in the middle of nowhere. She concentrated very hard on the ministry and apparated, only to end up in the exact spot she'd been standing only moments before. The club was still booming with the noise of grunge rock music and the screams of joy from an overly drunken crowd. It was then that she noticed the sign beside the club's entrance. "No Apparation Point" A low growl escaped her lips. She was becoming more frustrated by the minute.  
  
She decided that her only way out was more than likely through the club. It was a wizarding place after all and would no doubt have some form of a wizarding exit. She pushed her way through crowds of drugged wizards and muggles alike, jumping around crazily to the music, she herself could only classify as noise. She preferred the more relaxing music such as jazz, classical and wizarding blues. After what seemed like an eternity of swimming through sweaty bodies, she made it to the bar and called over a young man, who looked to be about twenty or so, with bleached blonde hair and perfectly tanned skin whom she assumed was the bartender, because he seemed to be serving guests.  
  
"Where's the wizarding exit?!" she yelled over the deafening crowd and thumping bass.  
  
The young bartender looked her over for a moment and then replied loudly. "Through the back! There's a door marked 'Wizards Only'. You can only pass through it with a magical energy. It will take you right to Diagon Alley!" She nodded and began to walk away, shouting "Thanks" as she went, not hearing the bartender yelling after her. "Be careful! There's some shady type that hang around there at night!" He shook his head, knowing that she hadn't heard him, as she was halfway through the crowd by then.  
  
She searched just about the entire interior of the club before she came upon the door marked "Wizards Only". It was unlike all the rest, in that it wasn't very modern. The old oak and big brass door handle gave the impression that this doorway was rather quite old. She shook her head, causing her auburn locks to shift violently and tapped the doorknob with her wand. It opened immediately, revealing a dark alleyway, which she assumed led to Diagon Alley, as she could see light streaming through an exit at least six yards ahead.  
  
"Damn dark alleyways." She mumbled, shaking off a long-standing fear of dark deserted places. She walked slowly and cautiously along the alleyway, wand at the ready. She was within a few yards of the exit when she felt a strong hand cover her mouth, while another snaked around her midsection, pulling her back into the darkness of shade against the wall of a building. She tried to scream, but a whispered "Silentius" from her attacker prevented any sound from escaping her lips.  
  
Whoever had grabbed her turned her to face them and her eyes widened in terror. She could clearly see the man's prominent features and pale-blonde hair, slicked back into a ponytail. A set of haunting steel-gray eyes pierced through her being, making her insides turn to ice. The man sneered in typical Malfoy fashion and grabbed a lock of her hair, smelling it, caressing it, taunting her. She tried to push him away, but a quick body bind was all that was needed to make her cease her attempts at self- defense. Defiant tears paraded down her cheeks as she fought with all of her might to break the body bind, but she couldn't do it. It was far too powerful. He laughed a cruel, bone-chilling laugh as he noticed her attempts and shook his head mockingly, tsk-tsking her.  
  
"Now, now, my sweet." He said in a sickeningly sugarcoated voice that could have made anybody cringe at the irony of the sound from his mouth. "Why must you make this even harder on yourself? You'd think that being as intelligent as you supposedly are, you'd know it's much easier to just grin and bear it." He wrapped his cold fingers around her throat for a brief minute, cutting off her air supply before her trailed his hands down her shoulders, removing her cloak as he went. Once her cloak and blouse had been thrown to the ground carelessly, her leaned in so close, she could feel his hot breath on her neck. "It will all be over soon." He whispered, causing every muscle in her body to tense. She shut her eyes tightly, wishing that it were all a dream, hoping and praying it was a dream. Reality slammed back into her full force when she felt him remove her panties and a moment later, enter her. She gasped silently in pain and hatred, as tears flooded down her face. She felt so helpless, so weak . . . .A feeling she hated more that the slimy animal that currently had her pinned up against a wall in a dark alleyway, hurting her, hurting her, hurting her. She closed her eyes, tightly, praying that this wasn't happening, that it was some horrid nightmare. Everything went black as she felt her head connect with the concrete behind her.  
  
And then it was done. He pulled out, zipping up his jeans and leaving a very bloody and broken, half-naked woman behind, sprawled out on the pavement . . . . ..  
  
Hermione shivered at the memory, tears filling her eyes. She didn't know what she would have done had Ron not found her, a mere hour after the incident. Apparently, he'd done a tracking spell, but hadn't been able to find the right alley until too late. No one ever mentioned that night and the twins no longer changed her portkey locations, though there remained one constant reminder of the tragic even that took place that night . . . . . . .. A little girl with chocolate eyes and pale-blonde hair that knew Hermione as simply, "Mommy." 


End file.
